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#MyLittleSkincareProject - Normal Skin # 4 - Final product reviews

29 December

After four months of #MyLittleSkincareProject posts, the project has finally drawn to a close. The final project post concentrates on normal skin, with my normal skin bloggers Rosie, Vanessa and Sophie reviewing products aimed at normal skin and specific skin woes. The part of the project I have enjoyed the most are these weekly product reviews - it's all well and good a brand suggesting their products as perfect for your skin, but how can you be sure? I've found the product reviews from each of my bloggers in the project, who have really put each and every product to the test, so helpful. So let's stop rambling and get straight into the final reviews, shall we?

Rosie has normal skin

"Kiehl's Powerful Strength Line Reducing
Concentrate* (Kiehl's*, 50ml, £49): This is
one of what I would describe as Kiehl's 'cult products' - products with big
claims that many say live up to their hype. It has many devotees, who say
that it reduces fine lines and brightens the skin. Having browsed reviews
prior to being sent the product to try I did notice that a few people said that
it causes them to break out so it might be worth getting a sample before buying
it if you are considering picking one up. Personally I really like it -
it made my skin feel more supple and brightened, and I love the smooth texture. I used it morning and night and it was perfect for putting on before
make-up as it creates such a smooth, satin finish.

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream* (Kiehl's*, 50ml, £24): I started
using this before the other products so that I could see how moisturised my
skin felt after using this without using the other treatments and serums. It is a nice, light, creamy moisturiser that absorbs quickly and isn't
greasy or oily. I did find that it left my skin feeling moisturised
throughout the day but it didn't blow me away - I enjoyed using it but I
probably wouldn't re-buy it.

Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado* (Kiehl's*, 14ml, £20): I was a
bit nervous of using this as I get a bit of oiliness under my eyes and other
eye treatments have sometimes made this worse. I was slightly reassured
by the fact that it had quite a creamy, rich texture and didn't feel greasy. When I apply it initially it sort of glides on but then feels like it
melts into the skin and the skin feels tightened. I haven't seen any
noticeable results yet but I'm looking forward to continuing to use it and
seeing if this could be the wonder product I've been searching for to sort out
my dark circles and uneven skin tone under my eyes.

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate* (Kiehl's*, 30ml, £36): Another
Kiehl's cult product, another product that people are often nervous about
splashing out on because of the price, but one that they definitely should! I
must admit that I was so excited to try this as I'd heard so many people rave
about it and say that it's the one product that they religiously use. One
of the great things about this product is that you only need a very small
amount (two drops) to cover your face and see results in the morning. You
put it on before bed and it smells lovely. I did find that after using it
my skin felt smoother, and more supple and moisturised in the morning. I
will definitely be buying this again but I think it's going to last a long time
before it needs re-purchasing!

Vichy Idealia Life Serum Skin Idealizer Serum* (Boots*, 30ml, £29.50): I'd not
actually tried any Vichy products before I trialed this serum so I was really
intrigued to see what it was like. It has a light texture and can be used
either on its own or with your daily moisturiser. Again I found it a
great product to use before putting on make-up (instead of using primer) as it
makes your skin feel smooth and fresh and you can apply foundation straight
away without getting that horrible peel-y effect you sometimes do from other
serums and primers. Although it hasn't blown me away I have enjoyed using
it - it smells lovely and I can definitely notice how much more moisturised my
skin feels immediately after using it, I'm just not sure I've noticed any long
term effects."

Vanessa has normal skin

"Vichy Liftactiv Serum 10* (Boots*, 30ml, £29.50): This anti-ageing serum, contains hyaluronic acids which seems to be the product de jour. I've been using this every other morning before my day cream. It has a really
light texture and has left my skin feeling hydrated and plumped. As for it’s anti-ageing properties, I always find it hard to judge. I’m 26 and my skin is
looking fairly youthful still (at least I think so!) This is really great for
adding moisture to the skin, so particularly great for normal and dry skins.

La
Roche-Posay Pigment Control* (Boots*, 30ml, £29): I have some pigmentation on my arm, so I decided
to use this there rather than on my face. It made a noticeable difference! The
speckling is much less noticeable than it was before I started using. It’s a
great product, but I found I needed to moisturise the area more often as it was
a little drying on the skin. Great for hyper-pigmentation or lentigo.

Kiehl's Powerful Strength Line Reducing Concentrate* (Kiehl's*, 50ml, £49): I love, love, loved this. It’s so
lightweight you can barely feel it and it sinks in within seconds. It’s very
matte, so doesn't leave skin looking dewy or shiny. It helps to even out the
skins surface - I do have a couple of fine lines on my forehead, and they
seemed to disappear when using this. Again, I used it alternate mornings under
my day cream.

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate* (Kiehl's*, 30ml, £36): Another great product from Kiehl’s. I’m a big fan of using face oils at
night to help lock in moisture, and this is up there with the best of them. It
smells divine, very spa like and relaxing. It melts into the skin and works its
magic overnight, leaving skin looking refreshed by morning. Great for normal
skin, but I think it would be ideal on any skin, even oily. This is sure to be
a firm favourite from now on and I can’t imagine not having it in my routine
now.

Kiehl’s
Rosa Arctica lightweight Cream* (Kiehl's*, 50g, £45): This wasn't quite as lightweight as I
was expecting given the name, it’s quite a thick cream that does take it’s time
to absorb. Nonetheless, it was a very nice base for cream makeup. This contains
a rare flower, the “Haberlea Rhodopensis”, also known as the “Resurrection
Flower” which is known to increase skin cell vitality. It does leave skin
looking hydrated and plumped, and I think it’s a great product for those with
normal skin."

Sophie has normal skin

(Please excuse the edited in product - not all products were to hand when photographs were taken)

"La Roche
Posay CeraLip* (Boots*, 15ml, £7): It's not often I really don't like a product, but this is one
of them. I want a lip treatment to last on my lips and feel like it's doing its
job, but I found neither of these - as soon as I applied it, I felt like I was
wanting to put more on again as it just seemed to instantly disappear. I felt
like it wasn't really doing anything for my lips because I had to reapply so
often - I'll be glad to go back to my trusty Carmex.

Kiehl's Calendula Herbal Extract Toner* (Kiehl's*, 250ml, £34.50): The girly part of me loves the little leaves and flowers floating in this - it
seems too pretty to put on your skin! I never usually use a toner in my routine
purely from never seeing one have a significant effect on my skin. I've been
using this for well over a month now, and it still feels like a step of my
routine I could skip. The good thing is a little goes a long way - this has
barely gone down since I started using it, and I do look forward to seeing if
I feel like this has made a difference once the bottle is finished.

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Moisturiser* (Kiehl's*, 75ml, £17): This is one of the few products from this project where I feel
I've noticed a difference. My skin generally does feel a lot more hydrated and
moisturised, compared to when I was using my usual Simple one. I've had a hefty
cold for a few weeks now and would usually be suffering from awful dry skin
around my nose, but I've had none of this since using
the Kiehl's moisturiser!

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate* (Kiehl's*, 30ml, £36): I have fallen in love with this product - the smell alone smells like it's
going to be doing my skin some good! My skin feels refreshed when I wake up in
the mornings, and I have even noticed a reduction in the fine lines around my
eyes. Again, a little bit goes a long way, and I am very fortunate to have
found this product.

Kiehl's Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution* (Kiehl's*, 30ml, £36): Unfortunately (or fortunately, maybe?), I have no use for this
product. I have no dark spots, uneven skin-tone or pigmentation to test it out
on to see if it makes a difference. The only time I could maybe think to use it
is to get rid of the little red patch left behind from spots, but I already
have products I love which do this job for me!"

Thank you Rosie, Vanessa and Sophie for the final product reviews for normal skin - and to all of the girls for each skin type, for making this project a wonderful project to work on.